{"id":26410,"date":"2026-09-23T08:49:24","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T10:49:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ansamblis-lietuva.lt\/?p=26410"},"modified":"2026-09-28T04:35:54","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T06:35:54","slug":"sky-builder-among-the-top-three-at-prix-italia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ansamblis-lietuva.lt\/en\/sky-builder-among-the-top-three-at-prix-italia\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cSky Builder\u201d Among the Top Three at Prix Italia"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cSky Builder\u201d, a videographic concert by the State Ensemble LIETUVA and LRT, has reached the final of Prix Italia, one of the most important international competitions for television, radio and digital content. An international jury named the Lithuanian production one of the top three entries in the TV Performing Arts category, alongside productions by Germany\u2019s ARD and Italy\u2019s Sky, according to an LRT press release.<\/h3>\n

This marks a historic achievement for LRT as well: in 2026, Lithuania\u2019s public broadcaster reached the Prix Italia final<\/a> <\/strong>for the first time. A total of 226 entries from 52 countries were submitted to this year\u2019s competition, with 19 broadcasters advancing to the final stage. LRT is one of five broadcasters to achieve this for the first time.<\/p>\n

\u201cSky Builder\u201d<\/a><\/strong> was initially one of three LRT productions on the Prix Italia shortlists before advancing to the final top three.<\/p>\n

In the Performing Arts category, the Lithuanian production will compete against works by two major players in the European audiovisual market. Italy is represented by Sky\u2019s archive-based documentary about Oliviero Toscani, one of the country\u2019s most renowned photographers. Germany is represented by an ARD production about the legendary actress and singer Hildegard Knef. Prix Italia\u2019s finalist announcement describes \u201cSky Builder\u201d as combining orchestral music, contemporary dance, theatre and advanced projection technology.<\/p>\n

Ensemble LIETUVA\u2019s Idea Takes Flight<\/h4>\n

The journey of \u201cSky Builder\u201d began in Lithuania, with an idea from the State Ensemble LIETUVA to tell the story of Antanas Gustaitis \u2013 the aviator and designer behind the ANBO planes \u2013 and the pioneers of interwar Lithuanian aviation through the language of contemporary performance. The concert was created to mark the centenary of the ANBO aircraft. The Ensemble initiated and produced the project and realised it together with co-producer LRT and a large team of artists from different creative disciplines. The television recording was directed by Kornelijus Jaro\u0161evi\u010dius.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is symbolic that the title of this work, \u2018Sky Builder\u2019, also carried a subtitle: \u2018The ANBO Journey That Never Ends\u2019. At the Kaunas Sports Hall, we told the story of the pioneers of Lithuanian aviation in the interwar period and their drive to fly out into the world. Today we can celebrate that our production, too, has taken off internationally. Just as an aircraft is never the work of one person alone, this concert was built by an enormous team,\u201d says stage director Dalius Abaris.<\/p>\n

According to him, the idea of creating a story about Antanas Gustaitis and interwar aviation originated within the Ensemble. At the centre of the production are therefore the Ensemble\u2019s choir and dance performers, its National Instruments Orchestra conducted by Egidijus Kaveckas, and the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gintaras Rinkevi\u010dius.<\/p>\n